Essay #1:
First, consider the façades, plan, and interior of the Palazzo Medici. In your opinion, what visual “messages” did the building send to those who saw or visited it? What did it say about Cosimo de’ Medici’s wealth, scholarly knowledge, and social status?
Next, find a 20th or 21st-century private home that you think sends similar visual messages.
In your essay, introduce both buildings, then compare and contrast their architectural forms and visual messages. Conclude by explaining how they are similar, but also different, and why.
Illustrate your text to clarify your argument.

Purpose
These essays are intended to encourage you to look closely at particular examples of Renaissance cultural expression and to think independently and critically about their meaning.